Shoelace tightening device

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a shoelace tightening device for shoelace-type shoes, including sports shoes. The device, for tightening a shoelace tied through a plurality of loops arranged along an eyelet line defined at the top of a shoe to form crisscross patterns, comprises a cover opened at a lower surface and opposite lateral surfaces thereof to have an inverted U-shaped cross section, and having a pair of pin-holes centrally perforated through plate shaped front and rear pieces thereof, a tightening unit rotatably inserted in the cover, and a fixing pin for coupling the cover and the tightening unit to each other. The tightening unit includes an annular toothed portion formed at an outer circumference thereof with a plurality of teeth, a support portion integrally connected to a bottom position of the outer circumference of the annular toothed portion and perforated with a fixing hole, and a button portion integrally connected at a lower end thereof to a lateral center position of the outer circumference of the annular toothed portion and laterally perforated with a shoelace guiding hole for guiding the drawing of the shoelace. A tip end of the fixing pin is fixed above the eyelet line. With such a configuration, a pair of the shoelace tightening devices of the present invention, fixed at opposite side positions above the eyelet line of the shoe, make it easier for the wearer to rapidly and simply tighten or loosen the shoelace of the shoe, resulting in an enhanced convenience in putting on or taking off the shoe.

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 20-2004-24312 filed Aug. 25, 2004.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to shoelace tightening device, and more particularly, to shoelace tightening device for making it easier for the wearer to rapidly tighten or loosen shoelaces of shoelace-type shoes, such as sports shoes, whenever putting on or taking off the shoes.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, most widely used sports shoes are designed to enable the wearer to tighten his/her shoe to conform closely with the overall shape of the wearer's foot by using a shoelace, except for some shoes using velcro-fasteners.

Such shoelace-type shoes, however, have several drawbacks due to the fact that the wearer has to tie or untie the shoelace whenever putting on or taking off the shoe. That is, it is actually impossible to ensure that the shoelace are tightened with a constant tension, and the tying or untying action of the shoelace may be difficult for some wearers, and requires a relatively long time. Further, hanging ends of the shoelace, which remain after tying, may result in a low wearing comfort upon fluttering.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide shoelace tightening devices for making it easier for the wearer to rapidly tighten or loosen shoelaces of shoelace-type shoes, such as sports shoes, whenever putting on or taking off the shoes.

In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a shoelace tightening device for tightening a shoelace tied through a plurality of loops arranged along an eyelet line defined at the top of a shoe to form crisscross patterns, comprising: a cover opened at a lower surface and opposite lateral surfaces thereof to have an inverted U-shaped cross section, and having a pair of pin-holes centrally perforated through plate shaped front and rear pieces thereof; a tightening unit rotatably inserted in the cover, the tightening unit including: an annular toothed portion formed at an outer circumference thereof with a plurality of teeth; a support portion integrally connected to a bottom position of the outer circumference of the annular toothed portion and perforated with a fixing hole; and a button portion integrally connected at a lower end thereof to a lateral center position of the outer circumference of the annular toothed portion and laterally perforated with a shoelace guiding hole for guiding the drawing of the shoelace; and a fixing pin for coupling the cover and the tightening unit to each other, a tip end of the fixing pin being fixed above the eyelet line.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an usage example of a shoelace tightening device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the shoelace tightening device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a loosely tied state of a shoelace using the shoelace tightening device in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating a taut tied state of the shoelace using the shoelace tightening device in accordance with the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Considering first a general shoelace tying manner, both ends of a shoelace alternately pass through a plurality of lace loops arranged along an eyelet line defined at the top of a shoe so as to crisscross each other. After being completely tied, both the ends of the shoelace are appropriately tightened so as not to be unintentionally untied from the shoe by making use of a pair of shoelace tightening devices according to the present invention. Hereinafter, since the pair of shoelace tightening devices are identical to each other, only one of the devices will be explained.

FIG. 2 illustrates the configuration of the shoelace tightening device according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the shoelace tightening device comprises: a cover 10, a tightening unit 20 rotatably inserted in the cover 10, and a fixing pin 50 for coupling the cover 10 and the tightening unit 20 to each other. The cover 10 is opened at a lower surface and opposite lateral surfaces thereof to have an inverted U-shaped cross section, and has a pair of pin-holes 11 centrally perforated through plate shaped front and rear pieces thereof. The tightening unit 20 includes: an annular toothed portion 30 formed throughout an outer circumference thereof with a plurality of teeth, a support portion 31 integrally connected to a bottom position of the outer circumference of the annular toothed portion 30 and perforated with a fixing hole 32, and a button portion 40 integrally connected at a lower end thereof to a lateral center position of the outer circumference of the annular toothed portion 30 and laterally perforated with a shoelace guiding hole 41 for guiding the drawing of the shoelace. An end of the fixing pin 50 is fixed at a predetermined position near an upper end of the eyelet line.

Now, the operation and effects of the shoelace tightening device according to the present invention configured as stated above will be explained.

Using the shoelace tightening device of the present invention, without tying both the ends of the shoelace to form a bow-shaped knot, the shoelace can be rapidly tighten or loosen whenever putting on or taking off the shoe by simply pulling both the ends of the shoelace positioned above the eyelet line.

Here, the tying of the shoelace through the plurality of loops on the eyelet line of the shoe is achieved to form crisscross patterns in the same manner as the above described general shoelace tying manner.

After completing the tying of the shoelace, as shown in FIG. 3, the respective ends of the shoelace is inserted into a space defined between the toothed portion 30 of the tightening unit 20 and an inner top surface of the cover 10, and is drawn from the guiding hole 41 of the button portion 40, resulting in a tightening waiting state. In such a waiting state, when it is desired to put on and tighten the shoe to conform closely to the overall shape of the wearer's foot, the end of the shoelace is gradually pulled away from the button portion 40 by making use of a pulling force suitable to cause the shoelace, tied through the loops to crisscross each other, to be gradually pulled and tightened starting from a lower center thereof.

In order to fix the shoelace, which is appropriately pulled and tightened to conform closely with the overall shape of the wearer's foot, as shown in FIG. 4, the end of the shoelace is simply pulled up so as to be naturally lifted, or the button portion 40 of the tightening unit 20 is pulled up. As a result of pulling up the button portion 40, the tightening unit 20, mounted in the cover 10, is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction about the fixing pin 50. Through such rotation of the tightening unit 20, the shoelace, inserted through the space defined between the annular toothed portion 30 of the tightening unit 20 and the inner top surface of the cover 10, is pressed upward by the toothed portion 30, thereby being fixed so as not to be pulled further.

On the contrary, when it is desired to take off the shoe or slightly loosen the shoelace, the button portion 40 of the tightening unit 20 is lowered as an upper surface thereof is pushed. As a result of pushing down the button portion 40, the tightening unit 20, mounted in the cover 10, is rotated in a clockwise direction about the fixing pin 50. Consequently, the shoelace, pressed and fixed between the toothed portion 30 of the tightening unit 20 and the inner top surface of the cover 10 can move freely.

As apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a pair of shoelace tightening devices, fixed at opposite side positions above an eyelet line of a shoe, make it easier for the wearer to rapidly and simply tighten or loosen shoelaces of shoelace-type shoes, such as sports shoes, whenever putting on or taking off the shoes, resulting in an enhanced convenience in putting on or taking off the shoes.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. 

1. A shoelace tightening device for tightening a shoelace tied through a plurality of loops arranged along an eyelet line defined at the top of a shoe to form crisscross patterns, comprising: a cover opened at a lower surface and opposite lateral surfaces thereof to have an inverted U-shaped cross section, and having a pair of pin-holes centrally perforated through plate shaped front and rear pieces thereof; a tightening unit rotatably inserted in the cover, the tightening unit including: an annular toothed portion formed at an outer circumference thereof with a plurality of teeth; a support portion integrally connected to a bottom position of the outer circumference of the annular toothed portion and perforated with a fixing hole; and a button portion integrally connected at a lower end thereof to a lateral center position of the outer circumference of the annular toothed portion and laterally perforated with a shoelace guiding hole for guiding the drawing of the shoelace; and a fixing pin for coupling the cover and the tightening unit to each other, a tip end of the fixing pin being fixed above the eyelet line. 